As NDA surges to over 200 seats in Bihar’s 2025 Assembly election results, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera fired back at the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of overriding the people’s mandate. “This is a battle between the people of Bihar and Gyanesh Kumar—let’s see who wins,” Khera declared, hinting at widespread irregularities amid early trends favoring the ruling alliance.
Khera’s Fiery Response: NDA Lead Signals ‘Gyanesh Kumar’s Weight Over Voters’
Speaking to reporters on November 14, Khera dismissed initial leads showing NDA at 204 seats (BJP 92, JD(U) 82) as mere “starting trends” and vowed patience. “These indications show Gyanesh Kumar is outweighing Bihar’s voters. I won’t underestimate the people—they’ve shown courage despite SIR,” he said, referring to the Special Intensive Revision that deleted nearly 6 million names, mostly from minorities, women, and migrants. Khera questioned how effective Kumar’s “influence” would prove in the coming hours, echoing opposition cries of “vote theft” and ECI bias.
The remarks align with a broader opposition meltdown. Mahagathbandhan trails at 39 seats (RJD 26, Congress 4), with Tejashwi Yadav losing Raghopur and Tej Pratap Yadav finishing fourth in Mahua. Khera praised Bihar’s resilience against SIR, which critics call a tool for voter suppression.
Opposition’s Growing Outrage: From Protests to Probes
Khera’s statement fuels the chorus: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah demanded a Mahagathbandhan defeat probe, linking it to Maharashtra-Haryana “theft” patterns. SP’s Akhilesh Yadav branded SIR a “BJP game,” pledging PDA “sentinels” for UP and Bengal. Congress MP Manickam Tagore alleged 10% voter deletions targeted opposition, while former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot slammed ECI for ignoring cash handouts.
Delhi saw protests outside Congress HQ with “Vote Theft” posters, and Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram cited “server vans” and booth tampering. Independent Pappu Yadav called NDA a “lies-cash-theft” trio, and AAP’s Sanjay Singh repeated rigging claims.
| Leader/Party | Key Allegation | Statement |
|---|---|---|
| Pawan Khera (Congress) | ECI’s Gyanesh Kumar vs. Bihar voters | “Battle between people and him—courage despite SIR” |
| Siddaramaiah (Congress) | Vote theft patterns | “Examine defeat reasons; suspicions like Maharashtra” |
| Akhilesh Yadav (SP) | SIR as BJP ‘deceit’ | “PDA sentinels will foil future games” |
| Ashok Gehlot (Congress) | ECI ignored ₹10,000 payouts | “Model code violations rampant” |
| Pappu Yadav (Independent) | NDA’s ‘trio of lies, money, theft’ | “Women and youth backed opposition” |
NDA’s Triumph: Nitish Kumar’s Fifth Term Locked In
ECI trends confirm NDA’s two-thirds majority, with LJP(RV) at 21 and HAM at 5. Leaders hail it as a “good governance” verdict, crediting development over “jungle raj.” Patna’s NDA camps buzz with 500 kg of laddus and fireworks. Full results due by evening on results.eci.gov.in, but opposition vows legal challenges.
